WITH only weeks until the Holyrood election, it is becoming clearer by the day that detailed discussions of the devolved issues we’re being asked to vote on will be overshadowed by the repercussions of the latest violent conflicts in Iran, Lebanon and wider Middle East.
Add them to ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan to name but three, most of us are understandably reeling on how to make sense of what could be described as new world disorder. While the short-term impacts are still unfolding and capture our attention, now is also the time for us to consider the part Scotland must play in the longer-term response to the world’s inter-related crises of conflict, climate breakdown and inequality.
As these also drive population movement, they in turn can fuel community tension here in Scotland.
As a membership organisation of international development and global education charities, we urgently call on all party leaders at Holyrood to prioritise education to ensure young people are properly equipped to respond to these unprecedented global threats and support them in building common ground to shape a better, fairer world.
READ MORE: John Swinney accused of 'lack of ambition' in row over US use of Prestwick
Our calls are outlined in an open letter addressed to party leaders, signed by dozens of charities and educationalists from across Scotland.
Global citizenship education is a broad framework that helps learners connect their lives to others around the world and actively contribute to a more democratic, peaceful and sustainable future.
It encourages critical and ethical thinking on what can be done to tackle inequality and injustice and how they have contributed to many of the world’s most pressing issues, such as climate change and its effects on migration, conflict over territory and ever scarcening resources.
Politicians have long committed to Scotland being a “good global citizen” but, with the cost of living squeezing public spending, this guiding framework is being quietly pushed to the margins.
It is losing visibility and vital funding when global realities require the exact opposite.
Tension over immigration can lead to violence and wider fear in our communities, so we need better anti-racist and inclusive education to create space for intercultural connection and dialogue over the root causes of the struggles in our communities. Tackling this issue is even more urgent as disinformation goes unchecked on social media, with little time for young people to build the skills they need to spot and challenge AI fakes and the wider distortion of their sources of news and knowledge.
Whoever wins May’s election, they must make global citizenship education a guiding priority for government, fully embedding its principles in the curriculum while also giving teachers time and space to help every learner explore global issues and contribute to positive, equitable solutions.
When democratic norms and human rights are increasingly under threat, Scotland must reassert values of social justice, equality, and global solidarity. We know through our work how transformative this approach can be.
Let’s commit to a Scotland that learns from the world, contributes to it, and stands up for justice and peace within and beyond our borders. Global citizenship is not just about young people. It is about all of us – and now it’s not optional, it is essential.
We call on all interested organisations and individuals to sign our open letter to party leaders to commit to closing this now critical gap in our approach to education.
The open letter can be found at intdevalliance.scot/global-citizenship-education-open-letter/
Share